CDC Requests Information on Phosphine Gas Poisoning

We’ve received a request for help from an officer in the CDC’s Epidemic Intelligence Service (EIS), and your assistance would be greatly appreciated. In the past five years, the CDC has become aware of phosphine gas poisoning of veterinary staff involved in treating dogs that had ingested zinc phosphide, a common ingredient in household and commercial rodenticides. The EIC is seeking information on any additional cases of poisoning.

If you or any of your staff have experienced phosphine gas poisoning, please help by providing that information to the CDC. You’ll find the CDC contact information on the web page linked above.

If you are presented with any animals that have ingested or are suspected of ingesting zinc phosphide pellets, please take extra precautions to protect yourself, your team and your clients. The AVMA issued an alert about phosphine poisoning in April 2010 and provided recommendations for veterinarians that we developed in collaboration with board-certified veterinary toxicologists at the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center.

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